Flash of Red

Chapter 4

Jughead watched the night fade into day, forcing himself out of bed when there was a knock on his bedroom door just as the sun was starting to come up. He didn't want to face her, not really. He couldn't decide if his feelings for her were into this much overdrive because she was the only woman he had seen in years, or if it was because they were actually that strong. His talk with Archie hadn't done anything besides show him he wanted her that much more.

He opened the door and put on a smile, not paying attention to what she was wearing. It seemed almost as if she had completely forgotten about the night before and now he couldn't focus on whether he was grateful for that, or if he wanted to have her against his bedroom wall like he was a disgusting pig.

"Um, I'm sorry. Did I wake you?" He shook his head, leaning against the door frame. "I was just wondering if there was a trail or something I could run on. I would run on the road but I feel like if I did that... I'm not sure. I just never run on roads."

"Um, there's a trail about... a few yards..." He sighed, standing up straight. "Why don't I take you? We can take the dogs, I walk them on it all the time. Just give me five minutes?"

She gave him a bright smile, nodding. "Okay, I'll be downstairs."

He nodded and closed his bedroom door, shaking his head and sighing.

~

"You know, I haven't seen all the dogs until now." Jughead gave her a look of shock, furrowing his brows.

"You're serious?" She gave him a nod and he chuckled. "Well, you and Hotdog seem to be together a lot. Then you got Bailey, she is constantly up my ass but I love her. She's their mom and Hotdog and Scout are her babies."

Betty gasped, her eyes excited. "Really?"

"Mm-hm. They're the ones that survived out of the litter." He wrapped the two leashes he had more tightly around his wrist, Betty and Hotdog walking at a fast pace beside each other. "Um, last night-"

"Let's not talk about it," She gave him a smile, walking further in front of him at an even quicker pace than before.

He stopped momentarily, letting her get a few meters ahead of him as he sighed. "I fucked this up." He muttered the words under his breath, pursuing forward.

~

Betty sat in her bedroom for the rest of the day, trying to ignore Jughead for no good reason. Two days. She had known this man for two days yet she wanted him like she had known him for a lifetime. She craved him for some reason that she just couldn't explain. She wanted him, and needed him, but she didn't know how to vocalize this need to him because, well, she had known him for two days.

She sat up off of the bed with a huff, walking down the stairs quickly but being quiet enough to not wake him as he slept on the couch. He had a deep frown on his face as if he was deep in thought and it made her wonder, was that because of her?

With another sigh, she snuck back upstairs with the phone held tightly in her grasp, basically locking herself in there before dialing Kevin's number in a flash. He picked up on the first ring.

"You know, I was about to drive to the NYPD, Elizabeth Cooper. That was reckless and dangerous of you to not call me last night or this morning. I was worried sick about you, B." Kevin's words sounded breathless as he tried to get them out in a singular breath.

Betty sighed, lying down on the bed. "I'm okay. I'm all okay, promise."

"I can get there first thing tomorrow morning-"

"No." She partially shocked herself as the word fell from her mouth without a thought. "Don't."

Kevin scoffed, letting out a small chuckle. "Betty, I'm sorry?"